Chapter Text
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Have you ever had an experience where you became totally engrossed in something?
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Kim Soleum clenched his hands shivering in disgust, goosebumps appearing over his skin.
We’re starting from before I came into this world? Now I'm really screwed.
‘It’s violating to see myself be displayed like this. Like a character in a novel. I still can’t believe this is happening to me’.
“…Are these really your thoughts Roe deer?” Park Minseong hesitantly asked. Kim Soleum assumed they wanted to figure out if this Darkness was telling the truth. It wouldn't cause a lot of harm, so he told the truth. “Yes.. they are Badgers.”
He really didn't want to continue this anymore, not wanting anyone to see the real him. Ever since coming here the closest he's had to someone knowing him is Braun.. but does it even count?
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I’m not just talking about thinking, ‘Oh, this is fun,’ but being so deeply impressed that you ended up spending extra time and money on it.
There must be something like that, right?
If it’s a movie, watching the director’s cut. If it’s a game, buying the artbook. If it’s a webtoon, paying for early access. If it’s a singer, going to their concert…
Going a bit further, buying related merchandise could be another example.
Yes, I’m talking about what they call merch.
Figures, banners, badges, dolls…
I can confidently say that I’ve never spent money on such things in my life.
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“Really Agent Grapes? Not even once Grape-ssi?” Agent Choi turned his head toward the man and tilted his head. “Have you really never spent money on merch or anything like that?” Kim Soleum shied his head away. ‘Well I can’t mention the DER records.’
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Until now.
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“Oh so you do have one.” Agent Choi chuckled, “Care to share with us?” He gave Kim Soleum a questioning look. “That’s enough, Agent-nim.” Agent Bronze gave
“Stop bothering him, this is already an invasion of his privacy.” Ryu Jaekwon was tense and worried. He felt extremely sympathetic for Soleum and didn’t wish for his rookie to feel any worse.
Agent Choi pouted and apologized, turning back to the screen.
‘Thank you Agent Bronze.’ He internally thanked the man for his heroic deeds.
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Here I am at a department store.
A popup store opened to a great turnout, and by 10 AM, the moment the department store opened, all the waiting tickets had already been distributed.
And yes, I got one of those tickets.
“The 2:30 PM time slot is now open for entry!”
“Finally!”
“Hey, let’s go!”
The cheerful teenagers standing next to me ran excitedly toward the staff.
‘2:30 PM… that’s right.’
I pulled my hat down as far as it would go and stood in line.
But then, I overheard whispers behind me.
“Uh…”
“A reseller?”
“Isn’t he a dealer?”
“……”
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Giggles broke out in the cinema. “Roe-ssi, what could’ve possibly been going through your head? Wearing a suit at a pop up store like that?”
“The items were going to sell out soon..” he mumbled.
Eun Haje let out a soft smile at that. ‘I’m glad he seems to have stuff he enjoys.’
“You don’t… look that out of… place.” J3 spoke up, tilting his head slightly, as if he was confused.
“Thank Jay-ssi” Kim Soleum genuinely thought this couldn't get worse; until he remembered what the pop up was about.
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I felt so wronged, but honestly, it made sense.
I was the only adult male who looked like an office worker in this line!
‘Haa…’
I sighed as I glanced at the entrance of the popup store.
[Welcome, explorer of the darkness.]
‘This is ridiculous.’
A theme with black and red backgrounds, caricatures of various monsters, occult elements, and symbols of corporations, religions, and governments all intertwined.
It’s exactly the kind of universe that would captivate a teenager’s heart.
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Everyone in the theatre was laughing and chuckling; Eun Haje burst out laughing, even Bronzie was trying to manage his expression. The only ones he could rely on were J3, who didn’t seem to understand what was funny, Lee Jaehon, who had a stone cold face, and Lee Seonghae who was trying to be supportive.
“I think hobbies aren’t that important! What matters is if you're a good person, and frankly; if someone makes fun of you for your hobby, then they are not a good person.”
Lee Jaheon nodded and added “ As long as you get your job done, your hobbies do not matter.” Kim Soleum sensed that the Chief was trying to… comfort him?
While he knows that Lee Jaheon holds affection for him, it was still quite sweet to see him caring. He felt a little better.
Eun Haje and Park Minseong stared at Lee Jaheon, bewildered, then looked at each other like the most life altering thing happened.
“Well it’s nice to see our rookie has some things he can enjoy.” Agent Choi beamed. This seemed to be a scarier hobby and this was really confusing Agent Choi; As far as he’s aware, Kim Soleum was a coward.
‘Maybe this is where he got his information from? Or at least how he got good at the ghost stories so fast.’
And the name “Darkness” mentioned gave Agent Choi a bad feeling.
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Even the title is a masterpiece
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At that moment, Kim Soleum felt his heart drop.
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[Prophecy of the Apocalypse: Dark Exploration Records]
Ugh…
I barely resisted the urge to cover my eyes with my hand.
‘Why did I have to see this at work…’
<Dark Exploration Records>.
It’s the world of a ghost story universe that’s been super popular recently.
You know, the kind of open-source collective intelligence universe where people can participate and create their own stories?
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It was deathly silent. He was trying to keep his breath steady, mentally preparing for the questions and looks. ‘What if they never speak to me again? Or worse, think I’m crazy?’ How could he explain this to them…
“Is this where you get your information from Grape-ssi?” It was Agent Choi who broke the silence. Soleum nodded, afraid to make a sound.
It was Eun Haje’s turn, “Are civilians aware of Darknesses?” Eun Haje, knowing this question was useless, still looked to see if there was more to it.
Kim Soleum, caught off guard by such a stupid question, yelped. “What?? no! It's exactly what the screen says…” his voice getting quieter.
“Were you aware of Darknesses at the time?” Agent Bronze asked.
After a moment, Soleum shook his head. “No, at the time it was just a wiki I was obsessed with and would read during work.”
‘I would’ve never touched it if it meant I was connected to this world’
“Ayaa Roe deer didn’t know then, right? I’m sure he wouldn't help the Darknesses willingly!!” Lee Seongahe tried to defend Kim Soleum.
At the absurd rate this conversation was going, Soleum just let out a flabbergasted response.
“What…”
“S-shes right, you didn’t know and it’s not like it would be a very believable thing, right?” Park Minseong tried reasoning.
“Besides all you knew at the time was that it was simple… fiction…” he mumbled the last word, realizing the weight that word held.
Kim Soleum was just blown away at the (barley held) composure they were exhibiting. If it were him, he would’ve been having an existential crisis.
Meanwhile Agent Choi was questioning what was shown.
‘Prophecy of the Apocalypse? What did that mean? Was there an upcoming apocalypse or was it referring to the Darknesses as an apocalypse?’ While he wasn’t sure what to think about the fact that the disasters that killed thousands everyday would come from a wiki, he wondered if there were also “characters” as well. Did they have information on other people? Maybe other parties…
“Let’s just continue, you’ll find some of your answers soon.” Kim Soleum spoke with a dejected tone. He couldn't believe the reactions of his co-workers…
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At first, it seemed like it stemmed from a famous creepypasta and started spreading modestly among students, but then it hit the YouTube algorithm and started getting viral like crazy.
The concept of ‘records of exploring various paranormal phenomena called <Darkness>’.
Eventually, it grew into an independent wiki with hundreds and thousands of creepypastas, and that’s how it caught my eye.
‘…It was so easy to read at work because it’s just text.’
And isn’t it said that anything other than actual work is fun when you’re at the office?
I got so hooked on this universe that I even ended up creating and posting my own creepypasta…
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Everyone’s ears perked at the fact that Kim Soleum created a Darkness.
“Before you ask, it was just an extension to another Darkness!” While he fibbed a little, it wasn’t technically a lie…
“Which one was it a part of, Agent Grapes?” Surprisingly, it was Agent Bronze asking.
‘I thought Agent Choi would jump at the chance first.’
Kim Soleum was nervous.. he didn’t want to let them know more than they needed to know. With no other choice but to use this very lazy excuse.
“I don’t really remember.. it’s been a while since I’ve checked the wiki.” he spoke in a downcast voice.
‘!!’
“Does that mean you still have access to the wiki? Even during your time here?” Agent Choi indicated that if it’s been a while since he’s checked it, that means it’s still available to him. “How many Darknesses are on their Grape-ssi?”
“Calm down with the interrogating, Agent.” Eun Haje stepped in. “Like the darkness said earlier, most of the stuff will likely be revealed. We don’t have to make Roe-ssi more uncomfortable than this whole situation, the only way to do that is by bombarding him with more invasive questions right?” Agent Choi grimaced but reluctantly agreed.
“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable Agent Grapes.” Speaking a sincere apology; he felt a sliver of guilt, but he still needed more information on the Darknesses.
“Ah, it’s ok Agent Choi..” he felt a little bit bad, but very relieved at Eun Haje stepping in. It felt like he had a moment to calm down… until the screen continued.
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How did things come to this? Is it because my office life is so devoid of dopamine?
And this <Dark Exploration Records> itself…
‘Who knew it would get this big?’
It’s now a massive IP that practically dominates YouTube as a major sensation for teenagers.
Naturally, companies jumped on board to make a profit.
This popup store is part of that.
‘But come on, this thing had a 15+ age recommendation slapped on the wiki!’
Why are there so many kids here?
Hearing whispers behind me again, I couldn’t help but feel increasingly self-conscious.
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Kim Soleum wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
‘I seem so pathetic!! I wonder what they're thinking about me right now..
“Ahh don’t listen to them Roe deer, it’s not that bad.” (It is)
“She's right, Grape-ssi… Your hobbies don’t change the fact that you're still a good person!” Agent Choi laughed, pulling him closer.
Kim Soleum’s face flushed at the compliments. “Hah you’re too much, thank you..” he weirdly felt that Agent Choi and Eun Haje gave similar vibes. Caring and teasing, yet calculating.
Not that Kim Soleum wasn’t already embarrassed enough by the compliments, Chief Lee Jaehon also had to add his opinion. “They are correct, your hobbies do not define your character.”
Ok this was too far. Enough compliments.
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“He’s definitely a dealer…”
“Hey, maybe he’s just buying something for his nephew or a cousin… don’t be too harsh.”
No, I’m buying this for myself.
…The truth is, I came here last week too, but the merch I wanted sold out just before I got to it, so here I am again…
I even took a day off work.
‘Last week, at least there were women around my age.’
Unfortunately, it was a weekday afternoon, and the only adults here were parents who had come with their kids, so I felt like I might die of embarrassment, but I held on.
‘I don’t even know why I’m trying to endure this…’
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“Well at least he’s dedicated to his goal’s.” Agent Choi joked.
“I think it’s an admirable trait.” Go Youngeun was looking at the screen with an envious gaze.
She knew he had always been goal oriented, determined to reach it, and was responsible, but it’s nice to see he was like that even before Daydream.
Eun Haje giggled “Our Roe deer has quite the thick skin eh?” He really liked to torture himself huh…
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Anyway, I followed the staff’s guidance and entered the store.
The fact that the staff didn’t seem fazed was my only comfort.
“Wow!”
“Hey, it really looks just like it!”
I could hear the middle schoolers exclaiming in awe as I took in the intricately designed interior of the popup store, which felt almost like a theme park.
And the exhibit themes were thoughtfully organized:
[Daydream Inc.]
[Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau]
[Church of the Luminous Unknown]
In this horror universe, there are three major forces: corporations, governments, and religions, all trying to observe and secure the paranormal phenomena… that’s the setup.
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“Hold up, they have information on those shady cult bastards?”
Ah shit.
“Yes they have information on the Church, but not just them but also the other two mentioned. The Bureau was created first, with the records only mentioning them, eventually as it spread out, Daydream.inc was created. The most information known out of the three companies is both the Bureau and Daydream with the Church being the most unknown.”
It was silent. Embarrassed, his ears turned crimson, wishing internally that he could disappear.
‘Ahh that is so embarrassing, why'd I have to ramble on.’
“It seems Roe-ssi had an interest in ghost stories even before Daydream.” Eun Haje snickered.
Lee Jaheon nodded, speaking up. “You're quite knowledgeable in your field Roe deer.”
‘Okay this is starting to get really suspicious, it’s been the third time that Chief Lizard has praised me.’
Not that he wasn’t going to accept it.
He internally beamed and thanked him.
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‘At first, it was just stories about the government’s disaster management bureau, but as more people joined in and got excited, it turned into this.’
Anyway, it seemed like this popup store had picked out the most popular parts of the universe and gathered them here.
It was clear that they were targeting fans’ wallets by focusing only on popular characters and horror items, but the quality wasn’t bad.
‘Well, when would I ever come to a place like this again…’
Ignoring the stares, I quickly grabbed the items I wanted.
It was a relief that most of the popular items were already sold out, so there was less suspicion that I was reselling.
“Would you like to purchase an L-sized eco-bag to carry your items? It’s 5,000 won.”
“Yes, thank you.”
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‘That’s embarrassing, I just explained what was shown on screen.’
“Speaking of popular characters, are any of us characters, or have you met anyone that’s a character Grape-ssi?” Agent Choi teased.
“Ah you'll find out soon, it will probably talk about it in the “novel” anyway.”
“What did you buy anyways?”
“Oh not much Badger… I liked to collect merch more than character stuff; not to say I didn’t buy any character merch.” He answered feeling a little awkward.
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I successfully completed my purchase, but instead of leaving the popup store right away, I hesitated.
I turned my head to see a line of people gathering near the cashier.
[Roulette Event]
: Create your own <Dark Exploration Records> character.
That.
I saw it last week too, but I couldn’t bring myself to join the line and participate…
‘They said this popup ends tomorrow.’
It was a moment of intense inner conflict, wondering if it was really worth exchanging my social dignity for this.
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“Create your own character?” Eun Haje mumbled.
“Was this before you were hired, Roe deer?” Lee Jaheon Said.
Kim Soleum nodded, not wanting to remember what was next.
At the same time Agent Choi had a bad feeling about this.
‘Create your character? If this was before he was hired.. could the name be implying…’
No. He wasn’t going to let himself think like that. Let's think more positively.
Go Youngeun joked “Well at least he still has some sass left.”
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Just then, the cashier who had just started her shift smiled at me and spoke.
“The roulette event ends today! Would you like to participate?”
“…Yes.”
Thank you. Really, thank you, dear staff member…
“Great! Please come this way! Oh, just stand here…”
The staff member swiftly guided me to the line in front of a giant black roulette, and I naturally found myself at the end of the line.
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Eun Haje over exaggeratingly sighed. “It's such a shame our Roe-ssi isn't as sassy with us.” She rested her head in her hands. “You should try sharing what’s more on your mind.”
“You know you can be comfortable with us, right?” Park Minseong asked
Kim Soleum nodded. “Hmhm.”
He really wished he could get closer… but… he has to go home, right… ?
‘I can’t get attached, I’ll eventually leave anyways. But…’
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The line moved faster than I expected.
Soon, I was at the front and handed a button that looked like a walkie-talkie.
“Now, we’ll spin the lucky roulette! Please press the button to stop it whenever you’re ready.”
Beep.
With an artificial sound effect, the roulette started spinning.
Each section displayed a prize and rank.
There were merch I had already bought, merch that weren’t for sale, and even some random Bluetooth earphones.
Of course, the largest section—7th place—was just a small memo pad. That’s probably what I’d get.
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“Don’t be so pessimistic Grape-ssi!!” Agent Choi pouted, pulling Kim Soleum even closer, hooking him with his arm.
“Watch you'll for sure get 1st place!!”
“It’s true, Soleum’s luck is really good.” Park Minseong nodded in agreement.
‘In the end I did get first place, but that wasn’t a good thing. I would’ve rather gotten last than come here.’
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But it didn’t bother me. After all, I almost left without participating at all.
“Let’s not expect much.”
I thought as I pressed the button the staff gave me, carefully.
Rrrrr… click.
But then, the black roulette slowed down… and surprisingly stopped right there.
A thin, golden sliver.
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“Congrats Roe deer!! You totally deserve it!!” Lee Seonghae cheered.
Eun Haje laughed. “I knew you’d win!! You better claim it and get outta there.” She roughed up his hair and smiled.
“Congrats, Roe deer.” Lee Jaheon added.
Kim Soleum thought he might’ve seen the lizard head somehow smile for a moment…
Agent Choi's gut feeling grew worse but he decided to ignore it, congratulating his hoobae, he grinned.
“It seems you really do have good luck, don’t you think too Bronzie?” Ryu Jaekwon gave a small smile.
“Yes congratulations on first place Agent Grapes.”
“Hahaha… thank you…” Kim Soleum never knew he could be complimented this much in such a short amount of time. He started to feel a little better, though, still embarrassed by the amount of compliments
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[1st Place]
: Dark Exploration Records Real Merch Box
“……!”
“Oh my gosh! Congratulations!”
Is this… for real?
“Wow, no way!”
“So lucky, I’m so jealous.”
Voices of astonishment, screams, and envy rose behind me.
“Wow, finally, on the second-to-last day of the popup, someone hit first place!”
The staff, even more excited than me, ran behind the roulette and came back with a large, plastic-wrapped box.
The black box, with a huge silver symbol embossed on it, looked like it had been carefully crafted.
I barely managed to keep my hands from trembling as I accepted the box.
“…Thank you.”
I needed to leave immediately and slap my face to make sure this was real.
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“You sound like a giddy teenager Roe-ssi.” Eun Haje giggled
“I’ve never heard you speak with so much emotion.”
“It’s true.” Go Youngeun added “I’m excited to see what was so nice for Roe.”
Kim Soleum covered his face in shame and internally groaned.
‘This is so embarrassing!! It’s already gotten so bad…’
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As I was about to leave the popup store, the staff stopped me.
“Oh! We’re giving out custom-made merch here, so all I need is your name!”
My name? My personal information has long since become public property, leaked all over portal sites. The only thing that matters is getting this safely home…!
“It’s Kim Soleum.”
“Got it! Mr. Soleum, just a moment.”
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“Would you like some advice?” Lee Jaheon offered.
“Ah— no thank you. I understand I shouldn’t do stuff like that in Darknesses, but at the time, there wasn’t any!!” Kim Soleum yelped.
“Still even then, there's still hackers and scammers you know?” Eun Haje snickered.
“I’ll sincerely take your advice to hear Falcon…” while internally frustrated not being able to defend himself.
‘I’m a grown adult! I won’t be scammed that easily…’ (he was)
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The staff started operating a black machine next to the roulette, which looked like a 3D printer.
There was even an explanatory note above it, made for the popup store.
[Dark Exploration Records Character Maker]
Ah, so that’s the thing they mentioned during the roulette event.
The ‘Create Your Own Dark Exploration Records Character’ event.
How perfectly tailored to a teenager’s tastes…
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Lee Seonghae marveled. “How cool!”
“Did you make your own character?” Agent Bronze’s curiosity taking over.
Agent Choi had a really bad feeling.
“Ah no I didn’t get to make my own.” Kim Soleum answered
“Something happened before I could claim it… the “book” will probably show it soon anyway.”
He really wished he could’ve stopped his past self from going out that day. Would he feel better if there wasn’t anything he could do? He wished to see if this “book” of his will eventually explain how he got here.
And how he can get back.
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How perfectly tailored to a teenager’s tastes…
“Please input your name here.”
“…Okay.”
Holding the merch box tightly with one hand, I quickly entered my name on the machine’s pad.
The black machine made a loud, eerie music box sound, putting on a show as gears turned.
And then, it spat out a small object.
Clank.
I picked up the familiar-looking item.
It was… an employee ID card.
[Daydream Inc.]
Employee Kim Soleum
Field Exploration Team
“Wow! Daydream Inc. It’s one of the most famous factions in our <Dark Exploration Records> universe!”
“……”
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Eun Haje grimaced at that, “What a crazy premonition…” she tried to joke.
It felt like they all knew what was gonna happen, and yet, everyone chose to ignore the obvious hints.
Agent Choi felt even worse. He was sure by now. This was right before he became an employee at Daydream. Since this was a “novel” it felt like it was foreshadowing, especially with the information they already knew.
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“……”
Yes, I know.
To sum it up, it’s the cliché of a big corporation that profits from paranormal phenomena.
And the Field Exploration Team…
“That’s the department where everyone dies, like the redshirts in that one sci-fi show.”
It’s the team that always gets sent to investigate the paranormal, only to meet their end.
Because of that, a lot of the named characters seemed to belong to the Field Exploration Team.
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Baek Saheon found it funny that he was bringing up cliches when he was (basically) isekai’ed.
“Hahah well we’re all still alive aren't we?”
The D squad was silent at the joke Falcon made. While everyone was alive, Kim Soleum was in a Darkness for a month, and then got hired by the agency, Park Minseong as contaminated and got sent to the security team, Eun Haje lost her arm and had to join director Ho’s project and now, Lee Jaheon was the only one left on D squad.
Agent Choi let out a sigh “Well isn't that a relief guys.”
“Hmm” Agent Bronze hummed in agreement.
“We’re lucky to have a rookie like Agent Grapes.”
Blushing, Kim Soleum laughed “Hahaha me too.” He let out a smile.
He loved working with hyunmu as a team. He loved his Sunbae’s, and he wished he could stay at the Bureau forever.
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“Wow! An employee ID from the Field Exploration Team! I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of adventures Employee Kim Soleum will have in the <Dark Exploration Records> universe!”
“Yes, thank you…”
I was about to cringe hard but managed to hold it in.
‘At least it’s not an ID from a government agency or a shady religious cult.’
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Exaggerating, Agent Choi gasped and put his hand on his chest. “What is wrong with the Bureau, we are a very impressive and amazing Organization, unlike that cult!!”
“Cut it out, Agent Choi.” All though, Ryu Jaekwon didn’t seem to like being considered ‘cringe’ as he had a sad look on his face.
“Wait I-I swear there's a reasonable explanation for that!! I was just-“
“How mean of you, truly.”
“Wait please just let me-!”
Lee Jaheon cut in. “Let’s continue.”
‘Wait! I still didn’t get to defend myself.’ Kim Soleum felt dejected.
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Thank goodness it was a corporate employee ID.
Although it was a little embarrassing, the staff had clearly said this so many times that they had built up immunity to it, handling it all with professional poise.
With that, the roulette event seemed to be over after I received the employee ID card.
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“Tch.. I’ll let this off the hook. For now.”
‘I didn’t even do anything wrong??’
He was exasperated.
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“Thank you.”
I looked down at the employee ID card with my name printed on it and sighed inwardly.
‘This… this needs to be hidden somewhere no one will ever find it.’
No matter what, my tolerance for embarrassment couldn’t handle this any longer.
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“Man, our Roe deer is so cute right??” Eun Haje
Agent Choi rolled his eyes and scoffed. ‘Our?’
“I know right, he’s so shy,” Go Youngeun agreed. “He is just so much more… timid in this.”
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Meanwhile, the staff cheerfully asked again.
“Do you like it? You’ll treasure it, right?”
“Yes.”
“Liar.”
…?
I looked up, thinking I misheard.
Smirk.
The staff was suddenly smiling at me with an unnaturally wide grin.
Their mouth stretched upward unnaturally, almost reaching their ears…
“……?”
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“What a wide smile! Though I don’t think it’s a human’s,” Lee Seonghae warily spoke. “You should be careful, Roe deer.”
“Thank you Deputy manager.” He said with a strained voice.
I’ll make sure to use it next time…
While most of the people there had figured it out, someone had to point out the obvious. “Was this... how you came here?”
“This was when I came, I’m not sure what exactly happened but…”
It started from here.
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In that instant.
A wave of dizziness overwhelmed me.
me.
“……!”
The noise of the popup store vanished.
Everything in front of me blurred as if covered by black paint, flickering in red and blue.
And by the time the dizziness passed.
I had no idea the world would have completely changed… not even in my wildest dreams.
[Welcome to Daydream Inc., everyone!]
“……?!”
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“Ah.”
“I’m so sorry Roe-ssi…”
Sympathetic gazes filled the room, staring at Kim Soleum.
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Before I knew it, I was standing in a corner of a large auditorium, looking at the central podium.
And.
Boom!
With a burst of applause, fireworks exploded from the PPT projected onto the screen at the podium.
[New Employee Orientation]
As the applause and cheers echoed, a person who seemed to be the host smiled brightly and advanced the PPT.
It was clearly a new employee orientation event for a major corporation.
The new recruits, dressed in suits, clapped and cheered with both excitement and nervous pride. They looked thrilled, having finally secured employment.
[Our new employees, who have successfully passed a 145:1 competition, should be proud of themselves! Haha! Now, let’s begin the new employee orientation!]
“……”
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The three that were there at the train all visibly tensed up, recognizing the train.
Go Youngeun blinked. “Isnt that orientation?”
Baek Saheon, shocked, jaw slightly agape.
“Wait— Agent Grapes, you didn’t apply for daydream?” Ryu Jaekwon frowned, eyebrows furrowed.
Agent Choi, knowing it wasn’t that simple, decided not to speak on it. He could’ve quit daydreaming right after, but he stayed. Then again it was complicated… being from another world and all.
Go Youngeun yelled “Wait so no preparation or anything? Just straight into another Darkness.” She spoke with and upset tone, believing this was unfair as he didn’t even have to choose to apply.
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What is this?
I tried to step back in hesitation.
But I realized I was sitting in a chair.
I was dressed in a suit. I had worn it because I had to meet with a client in the evening, but coincidentally, I looked similar to the ‘new employees’ filling this auditorium.
Meanwhile, the merch box I received from the roulette event was quietly resting on my lap.
“Excuse me, did you get that somewhere? Is the company giving those out?”
“……”
I couldn’t respond to the question from the new employee sitting next to me.
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Squeezing himself a little too hard, Kim Soleum was grinding his teeth. While Go Youngeun was looking forward to something.
‘I feel so guilty,” she chipped at her nails. “but… I’m curious to see what he first thought of me.’ While she knew this was very invasive, she couldn't help but want to learn about one of the (questionably) sane and morally right people. This was their first meeting and was curious to know what he was thinking at the time.
‘He’s always so composed, despite not being fond of ghost storieI’m kinda excited to see how he thinks.’
Meanwhile Kim Soleum was dreading all the upcoming gore he was about to witness.
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[You are the chosen candidates!]
[In fact, only a select few of those who applied through this job posting have been gathered in Orientation Room A for this special session!]
[Congratulations! You have passed the aptitude test and have been assigned to the special team, the <Field Exploration Team>.]
“They’ve already made the assignments?”
“Field Exploration Team? Does Daydream Inc. have a department like that?”
“Field exploration… for a pharmaceutical company?”
“Uh, it sounds like we’re being exiled somewhere? Not the headquarters but a branch office? Are they trying to lure us in with fancy words…?”
I could hear the murmured conversations of the new employees around me, but I didn’t have time to focus on them.
I recognized the company’s name and the team’s name.
Daydream Inc.
Field Exploration Team.
…Like a bolt of lightning, a page from the wiki flashed in my mind.
--------------------
[Field Exploration Team] (Daydream Inc.)
: One of the five teams under the Development Department of the massive organization, Daydream Inc., as featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.
Commonly referred to as the ‘death squad’. A tragic team, but one that is fun for ghost story writers.
--------------------
--------------------
“Wow, our Grape-ssi has an incredible memory eh?” Agent Choi leaned on his shoulder, closing in, eyeing Kim Soleum.
“Quite impressive for a civilian.”
“It’s really not that much, thank you…”
“Really not even 5 minutes in and you already understand what situation you're in, especially for a civilian. That truly is impressive.”
“Hahah… well I spent a lot of time reading, it has nothing to do with skill.”
Agent Choi let a sigh out, bringing his hand to his forehead, asl if exasperated. He started to laugh and muttered. Kim Soleum wasn’t exactly sure why he was exasperated, but didn’t really mind.
“Our rookie sure is amazing.”
--------------------
‘Wait a sec.’
…This is the ghost story from the popup store event I just participated in.
So, what happens next is…
--------------------
At the very new employee orientation, they’re thrown into a deadly survival game to determine who gets full-time employment.
It’s a consistently popular topic for wiki entries because it shows what happens when ordinary people try to explore the dark.
--------------------
“……!”
--------------------
“Eesh, Orientation was not fun…” both Eun Haje and Park Minseong grimaced, recounting their first orientation.
Meanwhile the Agents were furious.
“Despicable honestly, dragging innocent civilians into this..”
Agent Choi was gritting his teeth, Agent Bronzie wasn’t any better. furious not only at the fact that other innocent civilians, but their sunbae as well, was dragged into this crazy company.
--------------------
“Uh, wh-what are you doing…?”
I immediately stood up from the chair.
I didn’t care about understanding the situation—my only thought was to run outside.
But it was already too late.
[Before official employment, there will be a brief probationary period, but don’t worry, it won’t be long! We will assess your practical abilities through an absolute evaluation.]
[Of course, full participation is necessary for a proper evaluation! Freeloading will not be tolerated!]
Bang, bang, bang!
The doors to the auditorium shut one by one.
--------------------
The room suddenly took on a chilly air, as if the temperature was responding to the atmosphere of the room.
The tension in the room was high, even though these were past recollections, everyone still couldn’t help but worry about those involved. (Minus Baek Saheon.)
--------------------
While I was panicking, the naive new employees, who still thought Daydream Inc. was just a regular pharmaceutical company, hadn’t realized what was happening.
And so, as about a hundred new employees listened attentively to the host, the host cheerfully shouted out,
[Now, let’s get started!]
With that lively voice.
The lights in the auditorium went out.
“……?”
“Huh?”
The new employees, still confused, seemed to think it was a video or something being prepared, showing only mild curiosity.
That would be expected.
Who would expect such a crazy thing to happen just because they got a job?
For example.
The surrounding scenery suddenly transformed into the inside of a desolate subway train.
[Passengers, thank you for using Abyss Transpo today… Our train will not halt.]
[Please pay attention to the announcements for a pleasant journey to your destination.]
--------------------
“Abyss transpo… hm do any of you know what Darkness this is? Agent Mint, Agent Grapes?”
“This Darkness—“ Go Youngeun spoke up, trying to answer Agent Choi's question, when she suddenly went silent.
Go Youngeun, not understanding why she stopped talking, reached her hand toward her mouth.
Hand feeling around, her eyes and hands trembled, feeling just a flat smooth area of skin where her mouth should've been. Her body went cold, sweat trickling down her face.
It was completely gone. It still felt as if her mouth were there, but there was no physical form, a trick on the mind. Everyone there was silent in shock for a second before Baek Saheon let out a whispered curse.
“What the hell...”
“It seems like we can’t convey any information that would spoil the ‘show’.” Eun Haje made a conjecture, her tone filled with disgust.
After Eun Haje spoke, the screen flickered.
--------------------
No spoilers please! Let the show spill all the secrets.
--------------------
After that, Go Youngeun mouth was reconstructed in real time, causing a lot of physical pain.
“Aghh… uh…”
Groaning, she clenched her hands, not wanting to do anything to make the ‘entity’ upset.” Pain writhed through her body as her mouth was coming back; her lips started to grow, her palates rebuilding itself, the teeth slowly growing before the gums melded themselves around it. Almost popping out, blood slightly coming out of her gums, her mouth finally finished reconstructing everything else.
While trembling, she reached her hand up to feel her mouth. When she felt it was perfectly fine and still there, she let out a sigh of relief.
“Are you okay Agent Mint!” Agent Bronze quickly asked, worry evident in his voice.
“Actually, it weirdly feels alright now. It hurt more while it was coming back but it feels sorta.. numb now.”
While she was still terrified of the feeling of her mouth being gone and reconstructing, she had lost a limb before. She regained her composure much faster than average people would have.
While The Agents were checking up on Go Youngeun, Kim Soleum felt a prick of guilt in his conscience.
‘Should I have brought that up? They would’ve figured I know about this Darkness.’
On one hand, he felt guilty about not warning Go Youngeun, on the other, he knew he would get questioned…
‘Not that it matters now since everything is getting revealed, I wonder if I should bring it up to them about what I know about the Darkness.’
Everyone else meanwhile, was tense, taking note not to repeat the same mistake Go Youngeun made.
--------------------
An unfamiliar announcement, with strange station names, started playing.
“……?!”
“W-What is this!?”
The new employees, still in their suits and seated neatly on subway chairs as if the auditorium had been transported as is, all shot to their feet.
It was understandable that they were startled.
“Excuse me?”
“Is this some kind of VR? Did we really move?”
Many of the people who were in the auditorium seemed to be there still, which offered some comfort, leading to complacent reactions.
They wandered around the subway, looking for any sign of the company or someone from the event, or searched for doors that might open.
--------------------
They snapped back to their senses, remembering what they were doing.
“Those civilians…”
“They’ll hopefully figure out something's wrong soon.” Agent Choi tried to reassure Ryu Jaekwon.
--------------------
Soon, they began to get a better sense of the situation.
“There are people in the next car! But… uh, the doors won’t open? Is this some new technology?”
--------------------
The Agents let out a sigh of relief.
--------------------
With a feeling of cold sweat creeping up on me, I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again.
I already knew which ghost story this was.
--------------------
[Welcome to Abyss Transpo]
: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.
D-Class Darkness that boasts a ridiculously high difficulty for escaping and one of the most infamous stories. The Field Exploration Team suffers endlessly. Ꞧἁ₦օBĘs
Exploration Records indicate a total of ■■ entries.
--------------------
<Welcome to Abyss Transpo>.
As you can probably guess, it’s a ghost story based on the Korean subway system.
– You fall asleep and wake up on a subway train. It feels like your usual commute home, but strange station names start appearing…
That’s how it begins.
The target of this ghost story is anyone who has ever commuted by subway, making it all the more chilling for most working people who read it.
--------------------
Before Park Minseong could panic, J3 covered his eyes and ears, hoping the visualization wouldn't show. Fortunately nothing happened.
Eun Haje clicked her tongue, “Tsk what a terrifying Darkness.”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, just taking the subway and ending up in a crazy situation. How unfortunate.” Agent Choi chimed in.
Lee Seonghae, confused as to why this would be “terrifying”, simply observed their reactions and remembered their reasonings.
“On another note you might have a photographic memory, Roe Deer…or eidetic?” Go Youngeun mumbled, bringing her hand to her chin.
The Agents stared at her, Agent Choi looking at her with faint curiosity.
“Oh do you have experience in the medical field, Agent Mint?”
“Ah— not a lot, I was studying in medical school for a while, before transferring majors.”
“So what exactly do you think Grape-ssi might have?”
“Ah well I was thinking about two options.”
She took a deep breath before giving a brief summary.
“The first one is eidetic memory which is the ability to recall photos with and only a brief glance at them, while this seems like it, I think Photographic memory fits him better. It’s the ability to recall and remember information, more like texts in great detail.”
“That sure does fit our Grape-ssi.”
The Agent thought before letting out a laugh.
“Although, our other rookie Agent seems to have quite a knowledgeable mind.”
She thanked him, appreciating the compliment.
Kim Soleum pondered if he really did have a photographic memory, but reasoned against that.
‘I think I was just invested a lot in the Darkness exploration records, and I tend to focus on detail, but not so much as to have a great recollection.’
He reasoned that since it was only for the Darkness exploration records (it wasn’t) that he didn’t fit the definition for Photographic memory.
--------------------
“……”
‘And this ghost story… it’s under Daydream Inc.’s jurisdiction, isn’t it?’
It seemed like Daydream Inc. was planning to ‘filter out’ their new hires through this ghost story. …Damn it!
--------------------
Everyone in the room could share the feeling of hating Daydream. Co, being a horrible company that harmed their employees and innocent people.
--------------------
“Is this something like an escape room?”
“Why would a pharmaceutical company that makes hair loss treatment bother with escape rooms for new sales recruits…?”
That’s when it happened.
[This stop is Sorrow, Sorrow Station.]
“……!”
--------------------
‘If only I had—‘ before he could finish the thought of ‘something to write down this information’ a notebook and pen conjured itself out of thin air, dropping into Agent Choi's hand.
‘Ah, this is interesting… We can, receive items?’
Agent Choi made sure to keep this in mind, jotting down the information he learned so far.
Ryu Jaekwon interrupted his thoughts. “Sorrow station sure does sound ominous doesn’t it?”
“Yea… I wonder if the station names hold any value?”
“It’s most likely too; assuming in order to escape they need to get off of the station since it’s a subway.”
--------------------
The first announcement came over the speaker.
I held my breath and turned my head.
[The doors are on your right…]
Click.
The train stopped.
[The doors are opening.]
The doors opened.
It seemed like any other ordinary day, but—
[The doors will close in 30 seconds. Once closed, they will never open again.]
[Passengers whose destination is Sorrow Station should disembark according to the announcement.]
The familiar voice calmly mixed strange words and phrases into the announcement.
But people always try to rationalize things to find some form of reassurance.
“Look outside! It’s just a subway station!”
And indeed, they were right.
Outside the train, the platform was clearly visible. It looked a bit dark and damp, but otherwise, it seemed like an ordinary subway station.
--------------------
“They shouldn’t be so rash… this probably won’t… end well if they get off.” J3, who was quiet for a while, spoke.
Eun Haje agreed. “Nothing about this situation is rational, people always panic in situations like these.”
--------------------
Relieved by this, two or three people moved toward the door.
Oh, no.
“I think it’s better if you don’t get off.”
“Huh?”
This is bad. I sighed and spoke quickly.
“You heard them say ‘Sorrow Station’. There’s no station like that in Korea. Anyone would think it’s strange.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah, I think this guy’s right. Maybe we should wait and see how things play out…”
--------------------
“Agent Grapes has always liked saving people I see.”
“Our diligent worker!!” Agent Choi laughed, thinking ‘So he’s always been like that.’
He patted Kim Soleum in the shoulder, praising him. “Good job on trying to de-escalate the situation.”
Baek Saheon scoffed ‘At least one of them had some brain… Too bad he’s dead.’
--------------------
One of the quicker-witted people backed me up. It was the new hire who had been sitting next to me.
Because of that, the people who had been about to step off hesitated further.
“But still…”
“Hey, the doors are closing!”
But the sound of the doors closing caused a few panicked individuals to impulsively jump out…
It was a disaster.
[The doors are closing.]
“Ah!”
“I missed it. Shit.”
The people who didn’t get off sighed, watching the ones who did wave back at us from the platform.
Some even glanced at me and muttered curses under their breath.
I understood. In such a strange, unsettling situation, their instinct would be to flee without thinking.
But still.
--------------------
“They say all of that but they wouldn't have—“ ‘survived any longer without him.’ Go Youngeun was about to complain when she remembered the “spoilers” warning. She didn’t wanna push the boundaries even if it was something as small as that. She crossed her arms, frustrated, grumbling under her breath.
Lee Seonghae praised him. “Don’t worry about them, you still did a great job. You tried to save all the people, let them grumble, but they're alive thanks to you!” She already thought he was a good person, but even beforehand, he was a ‘good’ person.
--------------------
“What the…?”
“Look at that…”
A grotesque sight unfolded.
As soon as the people who got off turned around to move…
Silver droplets suddenly poured from the ceiling and pillars of the platform, cascading down on them.
Drip, drip, drip
--------------------
The slightly nice atmosphere that was slowly recovering vanished, the sight of people turning into silver was a horrible thing to see. While most of them had a tolerance, none in here wanted to see that. Especially Kim Soleum.
‘Eughh… it’s not better seeing it a second time.’ He quickly looked away, turning away in fear and disgust.
‘I remember it wasn’t too long but… I just hope the gore will settle down a little.’ Involuntarily remembering the events, he remembered what Baek Saheon did. Upset he glared at Baek Saheon with hate in his eyes.
‘What the hell…!’ Baek Saheon felt a child rush up his spine, body going cold. ‘It felt like someone was watching me…’
He remained not so “blissfully” unaware of who was sending him that glare.
--------------------
It looked like giant teardrops.
But the countless silver droplets fell onto their bodies like molten metal, producing horrifying tearing sounds.
Screams. Convulsions. Silence.
Blood mixed with the silver liquid splattered against the windows.
[The train is now departing from Sorrow Station.]
The last thing we saw outside the window.
“……”
In front of the sliding doors, now soaked in filth and blood, only the crushed remains of the new employees were left behind, twitching slightly.
“Ahhhhh!”
“Ahhh!”
It was the fate of those who chose wrong.
[Please pay attention to the announcements for a pleasant journey to your destination.]
Finally, fear began to spread among the people as screams and shouts echoed around
--------------------
Kim Soleum squeezed his eyes shut, his face was pale, sweat glistening on his face, slightly hunched, not wanting to remember the ghost story.
Go Youngeun glanced at Kim Soleum’s state, feeling empathetic. ‘Well I know he was scared… but maybe it was worse than I thought.’
--------------------
‘It’s started.’
I squeezed my eyes shut.
I’m inside a ghost story?
I don’t know how this happened, but I definitely seem to have become a new employee in a company from a ghost story.
And one in a department with an insanely high death rate.
‘Is this for real?’
Sure, if I’m being honest, I’m probably in a more advantageous position than the other new hires.
--------------------
“Damn bastard… you already knew.” Baek Saheon muttered under his breath, before Lee Seonghae smacked him on the head making him yelp.
Everyone else meanwhile, felt bad for Kim Soleum; they knew he wasn’t exactly a fan of horror.
“Having those records is basically a cheat sheet!” Eun Haje exclaimed cheerily.
Kim Soleum awkwardly rubbed his neck. What would they think when they find out it’s only hints? Not to say that the records weren’t useful.
--------------------
Maybe you’re thinking I could escape this situation and look cool by using my superior knowledge of this world?
Maybe you’re even imagining that I could monopolize the hidden treasures and items to come?
That might be true.
--------------------
“It is true…” whoever said that quickly shut up as everyone started to stare.
--------------------
But there’s one problem.
A very critical problem.
‘…I’m fucking terrified of anything remotely horror!’
That’s right.
I… am a coward.
--------------------
“Hahhahaha what a funny joke…” Eun Haje tried to laugh.
Park Minseong interjected “Roe, are you serious?”
Kim Soleum avoided their gazes, before finally speaking.
“Yes.. it’s.. true, I am… a coward.”
“Is that a joke?” Eun Haje asked again.
“No it’s not, why would I joke about this.”
“Because a coward wouldn't do stuff like that, yes you're a little scared of Darknesses but a coward? I don’t buy it.”
Kim Soleum snapped his head towards her
“You knew I was scared?”
“Well… yea, a little, but not cowardly.”
It was as if a cold bucket of water splashed him. Did.. all of them know? Even if it was just a little bit.
“Well I don’t know what to tell you guys…” he murmured.
He sunk in his chair contemplating how he must’ve looked so stupid trying to act composed.
At the same time, everyone was thinking about how this simply wasn’t true; yes he was scared of Darknesses, but he wasn’t a coward? A coward wouldn't cut their arm off, risk their lives for others, and willingly infect themselves. How many times had he saved his friends and civilians? A coward couldn't do that.
--------------------
Text is fine. I can enjoy reading that.
But the moment it’s visualized, I can’t handle it.
--------------------
“Ah so you're a scaredy cat?”
Kim Soleum jumped, hissing at Agent Choi “Scaredy cat isn't… mhm…yea.”
“Youre not a coward Grape-ssi, I don’t know what led you to that conclusion.”
Agent Bronze especially agreed with this, what kind of coward would risk his life to save a bunch of criminals? Or cut their arm off? Maybe save a dozen of missing kids? Or the time he saved him and Agent Choi in the store.
--------------------
And not just a regular coward—a coward to the point where my friends would constantly tease me for it!
– kim soleum’s crush asked him to watch a horror movie but he turned her down bc he’s too scared? is this for real?
– lolololololol
– dude your name is literally the sfx for goosebumps but you can’t even watch a horror movie lolololol
– shiieet no wonder your crush ran away lmao
lol –
wanna die? –
– sorry.
– sry.
I’m the kind of coward who, when reading horror stories at work in broad daylight, will turn off the background images and BGM just to focus on the text!
I was so scared, I didn’t even include an image in the ghost story I posted!
--------------------
It was silent… until Eun Haje started wheezing.
“Haaa— I— woo I ca— I CANT HAHAAAA.”
Agent Choi was clutching his stomach, “Haahhhh ‘wanna die’ seriously Grape-ssi? You're hilarious.”
Go Youngeun brought her fist to her mouth, chuckling, "You're so funny Roe-ssi.”
“It’s okay… Soleum-ssi… ghost stories… are… scary” J3 tried to comfort him. It didn’t work.
--------------------
I was so scared, I didn’t even include an image in the ghost story I posted!
A long-term resident of the Shelter for Scaredy-Cats, that’s me!
“……”
I covered my face with both hands.
I’m screwed, big time…
END OF CHAPTER 1
--------------------
“Looks like I wasn’t too far off with the Scaredy cat thing, eh Grape-ssi.” Kim Soleum punched his right shoulder.
Park Minseong smiled. “Well you've made it so far… you're not doing too bad.”
Baek Saheon, finally processing everything that happened in CHAPTER 1, was about to burst a blood vessel.
--------------------
Proceed to the break room.
--------------------
On the right side of the cinema, a door suddenly appeared.